FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT JORGE CAMPOS - PAGE 2

The night was supposed to belong to Jorge Campos. After all, the Fire's exhibition game Wednesday at Soldier Field was against Campos' Mexican club team UNAM Pumas, and it was Campos' first game with the Fire since mid-April. The goalkeeper/forward did indeed play the first half with the Fire and the second with Pumas and helped attract a crowd of 28,716, the third largest for a Major League Soccer exhibition game. But Joe Carver, who plays for the Fire's D-3 affiliate Stingers team but was called up for exhibition duty, rescued the Fire with a goal in the closing minutes for a 1-0 victory.

For the first time this season, the Fire had all three members of its "Polish Connection" on the field. Forward Jerzy Podbrozny made his first start next to Roman Koecki with captain Peter Nowak in the midfield. The lineup meant that Frank Klopas started on the bench. "We've been having trouble with the forwards keeping the ball and felt that Podbrozny would help us with that," Fire coach Bob Bradley said. Klopas came in to start the second half in the midfield, replacing Zak Ibsen.

Jorge Campos will leave the Fire, possibly as early as Tuesday, to return to Mexico and play with his Mexican club team UNAM Pumas, sources close to the situation said Sunday night. The Fire closed out the regular season Sunday with a 1-0 loss to the Galaxy in Los Angeles. Cobi Jones scored his 19th goal of the season in the 87th minute. The Fire (20-12) will open the playoffs Thursday at Soldier Field against the Colorado Rapids. Zach Thornton, who leads Major League Soccer in goals-against average and shutouts, will be in goal once the playoffs begin.

Now Jorge Campos knows how Zach Thornton feels. Campos, in just his 14th minute of play with the Chicago Fire Friday night, was a fraction of a second late getting to a cross and it cost him and the Fire. Alexi Lalas headed home the game's only goal in a 1-0 New York/New Jersey victory before a paid attendance of 24,661 at Soldier Field. It was the third straight 1-0 defeat for the Fire (2-3) and dropped it under .500 for the first time. The victory was the first of the season for the MetroStars (1-3)

For a guy who hasn't spent one minute in town, Jorge Campos has certainly created a lot of attention. The "when will he be here?" saga took a new twist Saturday when Campos' Mexican League team, Pumas, lost in the final game of the regular season. That defeat meant Pumas failed to qualify for the playoffs. Under an agreement with Major League Soccer, Campos is supposed to report to the Fire. "We expect to see him on April 17," MLS Deputy Commissioner Sunil Gulati said. "We're going to talk to the Mexican federation (Saturday)

Zach Thornton had better stay healthy. If the Fire hopes to advance in the Western Conference playoffs, which begin for it Thursday night at Soldier Field against the Colorado Rapids, the health of goalkeeper Thornton will be just as important as the play of the other 10 players on the field. That's because the Fire's other keeper, Jorge Campos, left the Fire on Monday to rejoin his Mexican League team, UNAM Pumas. Campos is barred from playing for the Fire again until next season, if he's still with the club.

It pays to have friends in high places. Jorge Campos arrived in Chicago on Thursday a little light on clothing. He gave away all his brightly colored jerseys to kids and was left empty-handed. So a trip to a certain Michigan Avenue store that sponsors Campos was needed for him to be able to be at his best and brightest Friday night. The uniform ended up being a makeshift combination. The yellow jersey that Campos wore was actually a Brazilian National Team model. The numbering and lettering was done Friday afternoon and a Fire logo was placed over the Brazil patch.

Before the Fire even began its game Friday against New York/New Jersey, Reymundo Herrera knew this: Regardless of the game's outcome, he was having an unforgettable birthday. His celebration came a day early. His 13th birthday is Saturday, but his gift--Fire tickets from his cousin-- couldn't wait until after the big day. Herrera's first opportunity to watch his hero, Jorge Campos, in person was Friday at Soldier Field. "He is my idol," Herrera said of Campos, who joined the Fire on Thursday after playing with Mexico's National Team earlier in the week.

She was hoping to stay anonymous, but Sandra Hunt found herself in the spotlight Saturday. In the 64th minute, the Fire's C.J. Brown and Kansas City's Mo Johnston got into an altercation, with both earning red-card ejections. "They were basically trying to slow the game down," Brown said. "I went to get the ball from (Digital) Takawira. I pushed him away and he turned and hit me in the mouth." Johnston then jumped in. He and Brown had been battling all night and Johnston appeared to have a fist ready and cocked before Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton intervened.